Press furore over Kufuor's Per Diem

...Auditor General sets record straight
Mr. Edward Dua Agyeman, Auditor-General, has stated that the per diem allowance paid to the President has never been $3,000 per night.

He said that records available to him showed that in respect of the Presidential delegation to the 33rd Session of the General Conference of Unesco in Paris, France from September 30 to October 9, this year, the approved rates, which range from $376.00 per person, abated by one third, were used.

Mr. Dua Agyeman was reacting to a publication in the Chronicle of Thursday, October 13, in which a writer, William Antwi, had quoted $3,000 as the per diem allowance payable to the President.

He challenged the author of the article to substantiate his assertion.

In this same edition, the Committee for Joint Action (CJA) urged the government to disclose the per diem allowance allocated the ministers and other government officials with regard to their overseas trip.

The Auditor-General explained that all-inclusive allowances for persons attending conferences/ seminars abroad are paid according to the position of the officer travelling and the destination.

He said these allowances range from $70 to a maximum of $478.80.